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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Who doesn't love to find a little surprise inside their cupcake?!! So fun and SO scrumptious. The cream cheese filling just melts right in your mouth. I like using pumpkin year round...its too yummy to save it just for the holidays and fall months...so I make sure it makes its way to my "treat table" all year long! This is one of those recipes that left my mouth watering for more as I saw the plate of cupcakes disappear one by one...sometimes ONE is just enough for me...but there are times when I want to eat the entire plate before anyone else gets to it (just for the record...I DO have more self control than that, but one can dream can't she???). These cupcakes are perfect for breakfast (mmmm yes!), lunch, snack, dinner AND before bed...I don't know what it is, but it makes me think happy thoughts after I've eaten one of them....(that too may just be a dream).

Make them...I know you want to!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

Filling:

8 oz softened cream cheese

1 c. powdered sugar

Combine together and mix until smooth. Transfer to a piece of saran wrap and shape (the best you can) into a roll or log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Smooth plastic wrap tightly around log, reinforce with a piece of tinfoil. Transfer to freezer and chill for at least 2 hours (I got impatient and waited only 1 hour...worked fine other than I couldn't slice it because it wasn't firm enough...(see below)...I had to just get a spoonful). WHILE THIS IS SETTING UP, MIX UP your cupcakes.

Cupcake:

3 c. flour

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. ground cloves

1 T + 1 t. pumpkin pie spice

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

4 large eggs

2 c. sugar

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

1 1/4 c. oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with liners. Combine all dry ingredient in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together. In another bowl, combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil. Beat on medium speed until blended. Combine the dry ingredients, a little at a time, with the wet ingredients. Mix just until moistened. Fill each cupcake liner with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the cup. Slice off a small amount of the cream cheese filling (should be enough for 24 slices). Place the slice of cream cheese filling into each cupcake. Continue until all the cupcakes have a dab of cream cheese filling in them. Divide remaining batter among the cupcakes, placing it on top of the cream cheese filling and covering it completely. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until done. Cool completely before frosting.